Entertainment Center Design...the Golden Ratio?

[Jon Hester]

I’m designing an entertainment center.
The top is 60” long, 20 “ wide, sitting on top of a 34” high cabinet.
Keeping the Golden Ratio in mind, how wide should I make the cabinet section so that it works with the above dimensions?

The cabinet section will have a shelf on the bottom, with a 14” shelf with an enclosed section, covered by 2 doors above it.
I’ve attached a “very rough” Google Sketch Up model to give you an idea on what it will look like.

Can anyone offer any help in determining the dimensions for the the width of the bottom part of the cabinet, I'd appreciate it!

[glenn bradley]

PHI is (about) 1.618 so; [smaller dimension] x [1.618] = [larger dimension]. I often fudge the exact value to fit aesthetics relating to the space that the piece will occupy. What I mean is that something that is X looks a bit off when standing right near Y so you modify X a bit to make it visually appear like the actual value of X. Did that make sense? Similar to how you don't choose a stain color under a fluorescent lamp and then install the piece under incandescent . . . sorta ;-)

Capture.JPG.jpg

[Kenneth Speed]

Jon,

You can make any part of your cabinet any size you wish; it's YOUR cabinet. If you want to use the golden ration you certainly may but keep in mind that it's really nothing more than a generally useful proportion; it isn't a commandment.

I made a computer desk once and used the Fibonacci series to size the drawer faces and made wooden pulls with lengths which also followed the Fibonacci series. NO ONE ever said, "Gee Ken, I see you used the Fibonacci series to size the drawers and drawer pulls."

Do what looks right to your eye.


Ken

[Dave Richards]

Since you're using SketchUp, why don't you let it tell you? The Rectangle tool will indicate when you have a golden rectangle with a dashed diagonal line and a pop up message.

By the way, you ought to draw your model so the front of it is along the red axis instead of the green. That way your standard views will make sense.

[Jon Hester]

Thanks Dave, I'm still learning the ins and out so I'll have to work on how to change which axis I start on. I read where Sketchup does the golden rectangle but haven't quite figured it out yet.

Using the 1.618 rule, the piece will sit on an 8 ft wall, so the 60 inches works, so using the same, I got 40 inches for the cabinet. Wasn't sure a 10 inch overhang on both side would look ok though? It will only have a tv on top so I think it will work.

Thanks to all for the replies ! I'm a newbie to SMC forum, awesome source of information!

[Mel Fulks]

Certainly you want to learn all the program features,but I don't think the golden rectangle is going to be much help on your current project. The one place I think it should always be used is on drawer graduation. The square root of 1.618 (1.273) times the top drawer ,and succeeding drawers gives an unmistakeable look with its double proportion. Antique dealers in ads ,and authors of books on antiques often mention "...the nicely graduated drawers" of chests seemingly unaware that it is a formulaic result.